It is well-known that exercising is good for you. Not only does it make your body physically healthier, but it also helps to support your mental health. But did you know that there are extra things that you can do to support and boost your workout regime?
If you are not sure what these are, don’t worry. Here we break down nine top tips that you can use to get the most from your exercise regime.
1. Consume the Right Foods (and Drinks)
While eating a balanced diet is good for your health, eating certain foods can support your exercise regime, like protein. Protein consists of amino acids, which then rebuild and repair muscles after working out.
The ‘anabolic window,’ i.e., the window when it is best to eat protein, is between 15-60 minutes after working out. Some of the best ways to get protein in your body are protein shakes, healthy high-protein snacks, or protein-full foods like peanut butter sandwiches.
2. Make Sure to Stretch
If you’ve ever been to an exercise class in Cincinnati, you know that the teacher tells you to warm up beforehand and stretch afterward. This is because stretching is scientifically proven to reduce muscle injuries and increase your joint’s range of motion if you stretch.
If you don’t stretch, you will feel incredibly stiff and achy the next day. In addition, it will mean that exercising again will feel unpleasant and potentially make you vulnerable to injury. So make sure to take the time to stretch for 5-10 minutes both before and after you work out.
3. Get Into a Routine
One of the best ways to support your workout regime is to get into a rhythm. The reason for this has to do with human psychology.
While we know that physical activity is good for us, that doesn’t mean we always feel like doing any. By getting into a rhythm, working out will start to feel less like a chore and more like a habit — just like brushing your teeth.
4. Slowly Build Your Strength
Another aspect to bear in mind is not pushing yourself too quickly. While you may be enjoying your routine, and enjoying seeing the physical and mental benefits of the workout, remember that your body needs time to rebuild and catch up.
So don’t start on the biggest weights and push yourself so much that you are exhausted. Instead, take it easy by slowly building the difficulty of your workout — some people even keep a record of each workout to remember better. If you do this, you will see even better outcomes.
5. Make It as Enjoyable as Possible
Our final tip is to make sure that you enjoy yourself as you exercise. To help, make sure you are wearing comfortable workout clothes that make you feel good. Attend classes with friends too so that you can cheer each other on and stay motivated.
Also, it helps to listen to music, which has been proven to help boost performance for some people and enhance pleasure. So make yourself a happy playlist and call a buddy to help boost your regime.
6. Hydrate More
Did you know that human bodies are mostly made up of water? It’s what gives our bodies the strength we need to power through intense workouts without losing steam.
However, when you get hot, your body loses a lot of water as sweat, so it is especially beneficial to boost your water level to maintain your performance level. This means that before, during, and after working out, you must support your body and replenish its nutrients by drinking water.
According to The American Council on Exercise, your water boost should begin even before you start exercising. Have about 17-20 ounces of water about 2-3 hours before you hit the gym. On the way, have another eight ounces and then an extra 10 for every ten minutes of exercise.
It might seem like a lot of extra work, but it’s worth it. Water brings the following benefits:
- Loosens your joints
- Regulates your body’s temperature
- Boosts your energy levels
Water may even help you to reduce cramps.
So, just make sure that you bring a bottle of water with you whenever you work out.
7. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
All health professionals and fitness enthusiasts go on about the benefits of sleep. But this is because getting a good rest really is the best thing you can do to help your body. So after you have been exercising, make sure to wind down properly, turn off your bright screens, and go to bed.
This is because growth hormones are released when you sleep, and your muscle tissue has the time to repair itself. Sleep also helps to activate your fat-burning and bone-building cells.
8. Take Vitamins
As we have touched on above, what you put into your body is just as important as the workout itself. So to boost your exercise regime, think about taking a few vitamins to complement your balanced diet.
Some vitamins that are known to aid exercise are:
- Fish oils, which maintain healthy joints
- Magnesium, which increases recovery time
- Vitamin D, which improves cardiovascular and muscle health
Remember that there are hundreds of vitamins to choose from, and there may be some that better suit your body’s individual needs, so research is always recommended.
9. Get a Massage
Ok, so we probably can’t have massages after every workout. But, if you do get the opportunity to schedule a massage, it will really help to boost your exercise regime.
This is because massages are known to:
- Ease muscle tightness
- Reduce inflammation
- Improve recovery
They work by increasing muscle temperature and increasing blood flow. The increased blood flow means that the necessary nutrients, minerals, and blood can get to the parts of your body that need them the most.
Finally, massages help you relax and de-stress, and what could be better than that?
The Round-up
If you weren’t too sure about boosting your workout before, remember that any or all of these nine top tips can help not only improve workouts but speed up recovery time. Whether you focus on stretching, eating protein, or simply getting a good night’s sleep, you’re bound to feel stronger and see better results.